Abigail Laura's Blog, page 4

My Path to Happy

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My Path to Happy by Charlotte Reed

“My Path to Happy” is a unique, beautiful story about one woman’s journey with mental illness. I was gifted an e-book advanced edition of this book by Andrews McMeel through NetGalley and was excited to dive in since it looked cute and I always appreciate the subject matter. As someone who struggles with my mental health, I love it when someone shares their story about finding health and happiness. It is so meaningful to understand what other people go through and be comforted that others experience difficult things too.

Charlotte Reed is unique in that her book is completely handwritten. I loved her style and her voice and I really liked her story. There was a point where I struggled in reading it because she was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and decides not to go on medication. I found myself concerned about the message of “doing things on your own” and “toughing it out.” However, at the end, Reed does a beautiful job of expressing how this worked for her, but will not work for everyone. I think it’s important to have the message that different things work for different people, because it’s easy to copy whatever message or story you hear. Reed is raw, open and honest throughout her book and I loved that! She is inspiring and gifted and I enjoyed and appreciated reading her story!

Summing it up: If you struggle with mental health, reading this book could really help, as it is encouraging and beautifully written, but please find the best way for you! Sometimes “toughing it out” is possible, but there is no shame in using medication. My hope for anyone struggling is that you can find health and happiness – whatever road you choose!

Best, Abbey

Untamed

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Untamed by Glennon Doyle

Untamed was a recommendation from one of my favorite bookstores, Riverbend Books. I had never heard of Glennon Doyle and was unaware that she had written several books and that this one was her latest, and most vulnerable, work. It was an easy sell as this book is a memoir (my favorite genre), a story of finding yourself (a topic that speaks strongly to me), and, as a bonus, it’s a signed copy! I dove into this book shortly after I bought it, which is a little unusual for me. I cannot recall now how and why I chose it, but I firmly believe that there are times that you read the right book at just the right time. Untamed was that for me. Truly, reading this book was deeply personal for me. I was moved reading each and every page, as I felt the words calling out specifically to me. It was partially as if I was looking in a mirror; as if I myself had put those words there. Not vainly, but because I have lived something so intrinsically similar that it was an echo of my own thoughts and experiences.

Doyle structures her book in three sections: caged, keys, and free. She seamlessly blends past and present throughout each section to highlight her journey to freedom and finding her voice. It was beautifully moving. As someone who knew nothing about the author, I was impressed at how Doyle takes the reader in and effortlessly converses about her life; explaining and defining her choices and painting a picture of how she got from point A to point B. By the end, I knew peripherally about her life, and also felt like I was a new friend who just got intimately caught up! The chapters are short, which worked well for the style of writing. I found myself deep in each chapter and then flying onto the next, just wanting to know more. Doyle addresses so much more than a recounting of her journey. She discusses feminism, religion, parenting, and relationships to name a few. I appreciated this and really enjoyed reading her perspective.

A resounding message throughout the book is learning to listen to your inner voice. She calls this ‘the knowing.’ How beautiful, how simple, how perfectly descriptive. When Doyle labeled it in this way, I audibly sighed, feeling it resonate deep within me. I have spent my life making decisions based on other people’s knowledge and what they know is best for me. I have systematically ignored my own voice, and for a long time didn’t even realize I had one. In recent years I have been putting in the work to listen to myself and trust my voice. Doyle has been on a similar journey and I related to her – particularly by reading how she found her voice and has learned to listen to it (especially when other voices crowd in). There is so much value in hearing the same idea in different ways. For me, it was hearing this concept from my therapist, putting it into practice, and then reading the same idea in different verbiage both here and elsewhere. The idea of quieting yourself and listening to the ‘still, quiet voice’ is all around us. Doyle has a religious background (another similarity) and also refers to this voice as God. I think it’s beautiful how she blends these two ideas with the overarching importance of focusing on what is best for you and quieting yourself enough to hear and know what, in fact, that is. I cannot read enough about finding yourself and not being afraid to be yourself. It’s so incredibly simple, incredibly difficult, and incredibly important. I absolutely loved reading Doyle’s story.

I could not stop marking sentences throughout Untamed. So many pages held truths that I have already discovered and loved reading in a new light, or new ideas for me to mull over. I will return to this book and I look forward to experiencing it again and again. I am incredibly grateful that this book got into my hands when it did and that I decided to read it when I did. I am also beyond grateful for Glennon Doyle and her decision to share her story with the world. It’s not easy to be so open, and I am thankful that she is. It was a moving and inspiring to read Untamed. 

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Summing it up: I learned so much from reading Doyle’s story and I felt deep peace in finding something that resonated so closely with what I have experienced. It’s deeply moving to know you are not alone; both in difficult and happy times. Doyle did this for me, and I imagine for so many other people. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

Best, Abbey

 

Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce

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Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce

I used to do a lot of baking. I also used to be a stay-at-home mom and spent a lot of time in the kitchen. I would regularly try new recipes because I had the time. Fast forward to now, eight years later, and I find myself staying at home, temporarily out of work. I have time again and I am loving using some of it to be back in the kitchen. The other day I decided to try a cheesecake! I remember a recipe I used to make that was easy, delicious and didn’t require a springform pan. It was still on my Pinterest board, but it had chocolate on the top and I was in the mood for blueberries. I decided to hunt for a blueberry sauce recipe and found a separate cheesecake recipe that had one. I combined these two recipes and it turned out delicious! The cheesecake recipe I used was from Bakerita. You only need two packages of cheesecake and can make it in a square pan. I baked it for the maximum amount of time, and next time I might leave it in a little bit longer to have the center firmed just a bit more. In the recipe notes, it’s recommended that you leave it in the refrigerator overnight, which I absolutely agree with, and highly recommend! Once the cheesecake was in the oven, I made the blueberry sauce. The recipe I found was on Sally’s Baking Addition. Side note: I’ve made a few things from this blog and each one came out amazingly delicious. If you’re looking for good baking recipes, head on over there! The recipe I found was for a Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake. I took the blueberry sauce recipe and made it as she suggests, until the straining part. Instead, I simply smashed the cooked blueberries and kept blueberries and sauce together. Cake and sauce went into the refrigerator and I lasted a few hours before trying it! It was good, but when I had it the next day, it was better. If you’d like to try this combo yourself, head over to https://www.bakerita.com/cheesecake-bars/ for the cheesecake and to https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/blueberry-swirl-cheesecake/ for the sauce!

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Summing it up: I don’t shy away from finding what I need to make what’s in my head! I loved mixing these two recipes and creating something that was easy and delicious. I hope it gives you some inspiration to try something new or make your own combination. Happy baking!

Best, Abbey

A Month of Reading Out of My Library

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A Month of Reading Out of My Library

Well, COVID-19/Quarantine Life/Social Distancing has affected everything, hasn’t it? It’s been a little over a month since I lost my job and became a substitute teacher and stopped leaving the house. One of the first decisions I made was to stop buying new books. This was really hard as I love hopping on Thriftbooks or supporting my local bookstore. But I have SO. MANY. BOOKS. And the majority of them I haven’t even read!! So, I decided a good way to save money was to read what I own. Honestly, it has been a great decision! All the books I own are ones I want to read. I have an enormous TBR list on Goodreads and a bunch of those books are in my home. It has been lovely ‘finally’ getting to books I’ve wanted to read for a while. And really, I feel like ‘there’s no excuse’ now which has been a great motivator to stop adding to what I have and simply enjoy what I already own. My hope (whether this happens during quarantine or some point later) is to have the majority of my shelves filled with books I love and want to return to. I can look around and smile at all the adventures I’ve been on. Actually, one of the things I’ve learned about myself is that I enjoy re-reading! Up until a month ago, I said that I rarely re-read because there were too many books I haven’t read and I gravitate towards reading them first. Well. What can I say? I decided to re-read some of my books along with my unread books and I was enraptured. What an experience returning to a book I know I like and reliving it! I was blown away by how good it felt to reminisce and rediscover something I love. I have some friends that really enjoy re-reading and I think I get it now! Another nice thing about reading what I own is actually coming across a book I don’t enjoy. I say this is nice because not every book is enjoyable for every reader, so when I am not engaged with a book, I can move onto the next in my collection and cross that one off my list! I have started a giveaway pile to donate these books and maybe someone else will enjoy it!

Summing it up: I am absolutely loving reading my own library! I can’t wait to see where I am when quarantine is lifted and how many of my books I’ve been able to get to! How have you been facing reading during quarantine? Are you adding to your collection, re-reading, or getting to that stack of unread books? I’d love to hear your experiences!

Best, Abbey

Dinosaur Books!

 

Dinosaur Books!

I love reading dinosaur books! It’s only been as an adult that I have fallen in love with dinosaurs. From books to movies to art, I can’t get enough! I just finished my latest book on the subject, Dragon Teeth. I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it would be fun to recap the dino books I’ve read so far, which happed to all be fiction. I do own The Rise and Fall of Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World by Stephen Brusatte and I cannot wait to get into it! My boys have a handful of dinosaur book from cute (namely, the brilliant Sandra Boyton) to non-fiction fact books. They actually are not as infatuated with the subject as I am, which is pretty funny! And of course, there are the movies . . . yes, I’m a huge fan of the Jurassic films, which lead me to read the books by Crichton. I love when you discover that a movie started as a book and dive deeper into the story. Right now, my dino reading is heavily Crichton and then an amazing little book from a raptor’s perspective. Do you have any recommendations for me to add to my repertoire?! I’d love to know in the comments!

Raptor Red by Robert T. Bakker

I read Raptor Red a little over a year ago in Jan/Feb 2019. It was a recommendation from my cousin, Lindy (yes, the illustrator of our book, who, I may add, tends to know my taste)! She had heard of it and actually gave me her copy when she was done. She is well aware of my dinosaur love, so I was very excited to read her recommendation! Raptor Red is unusual because it follows the story of a raptor from the raptor’s perspective. I loved it. The author does a magnificent job of bringing the reader into the life and journey of this creature. I found myself immediately drawn in and attached to ‘Red.’ I enjoyed all the descriptions of the world, from the other dinosaurs to the environment, to how raptors lived and “thought.” This book was thoroughly enjoyable and such a refreshing way to read about these long lost creatures!

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

A full year before I read Raptor Red, I fell into the world of Crichton’s dinosaurs. At this point, I had seen the old and new movies, which had totally absorbed me, and was thrilled to discover there was a book that came first! I remember working at the library at this point, so I marched myself over to the fiction section and picked up Jurassic Park. My fate was sealed at the first page. Not only was I in love with dinosaurs, but I was in love with Crichton’s story-telling! Sadly, two years later I don’t remember the ins and outs of the plot, but I do remember how I felt. I felt fully enthralled, engaged; reading on bated breath to know how and why things were happening and, of course, what would happen next. I swallowed this book whole, loving each page and simultaneously wanting to finish the story and for it to never end. Luckily for me there was a sequel!

The Lost World by Michael Crichton

The Lost World was equally enthralling and I have equally lost my remembrance of the plot details. I do remember loving it and the amazing co-worker who brought it to me on the way home from work, so I wouldn’t have to wait to start it! I think one of the hallmarks of a good story-teller is not in the minutiae of the plot, but in the experience evoked by living the story. This is true for me. I just remember being completely absorbed in these books and the world Crichton created. I honestly will return someday and re-read the stories to relive them and fall back into the story.

Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton

Here I am a year from Raptor Red, two years from Jurassic, and falling back into another dinosaur book! This one is also by Crichton and I learned that it was published posthumously. Dragon Teeth is different from the other three books because it is historical fiction. A few of the characters actually existed and some of the events really did take place. What a whirlwind to read a dinosaur western that actually happened! Amazing. I have a great love for history (I was a history major and honestly I’ve been obsessed since I was a little girl). Because of this, I typically shy away from historical fiction. I don’t like not knowing what is real and what is invented. Once I realized that was what this book was, I hesitated. Curiosity won out though, and after I read the afterward to know what was actually real, I let myself get into the story, which was pretty incredible. I’m glad I stuck it out. I learned about a historical period that I was clueless about previously. I also got my dinosaur fix and some great story-telling. I really enjoyed it!

Summing it up: that’s where my dino-reading adventure stands at the moment. Looking forward to reading new books on the subject and re-reading these favorites someday! Have you read any of these? And, really, any good recommendations for me? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Best, Abbey

March 2020 Wrap Up!

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March 2020 Wrap Up!

March was a lovely reading month! I attribute that to losing my job, staying at home because of our State’s order, and deciding to read PINK books! It’s been a stressful month with a lot of ups and downs, but I’ve been practicing balance and taking things one day at a time. It helps that I have a ton of books I haven’t read, so I have so many adventures to go on and worlds to explore! A nice upside to reading in color is that I’ve read across genres. This month I read a thriller, a memoir, a mystery book, and a couple of novels and self-help books. There are a couple e-books not pictured in addition to the ones above. Here’s my overview and how I rated each book on Goodreads:

 

She Believed She Could So She Did by Summersdale ~ 5 stars
After the Funeral by Agatha Christie ~ 5 stars
Untamed by Glennon Doyle ~ 5 stars
Mamaste: Discover a More Authentic, Balanced, and Joyful Motherhood from Within by Lori Bregman, Ursula Cary ~ 5 stars

 

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware ~ 4 stars

Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim ~ 4 stars

The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick (e-book) ~ 4 stars
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens ~ 4 stars
Love and Freindship and Other Early Works by Jane Austen ~ 4 stars

 

My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse (e-book) ~ 3 stars

 

Summing it up: I really read a lot of great books that I thoroughly enjoyed and as a result, gave them great ratings! I hope you all had a great reading month no matter what you read (or didn’t read) and that you are able to stay calm amidst this stressful time in the world!

Best, Abbey

How to Know to Put That Book Away!

 

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How to Know to Put That Book Away! ~ March 31, 2020

Not finishing a book is one of the hardest decisions for me! This is for a variety of reasons (naturally, because why would there just be one?!). I am ‘type A’ and I’m coming to terms with the fact that I have high expectations for myself; expectations that come from inside and a lot of times, expectations that are a bit extreme. One of these is putting a lot of pressure on myself to finish what I start. If I pick up a book, I am committed, and since I’m committed, I MUST finish. Just typing this feels a bit silly, but it’s very real and I have to fight this inclination. Sometimes, a book is a recommendation and I don’t want to disappoint the recommender. Often, the books that I start are ones I’m genuinely excited to read and it’s very disappointing to realize that I’m not enjoying them for whatever reason. In a small way, it’s grieving. Realizing a book is not what you wanted it to be can be a real let-down. As a result, it’s tempting to push through. Maybe it’ll get better, maybe you need more time to settle into it, maybe you can ignore how you’re feeling? Honestly, sometimes those things are valid and books do get better, or you read more and adapt to the story-telling, or you ignore the feeling and get lost in the book. However, I’m learning that those things are rare and more often than not those feelings are guiding me to put that book away!

So how do you do it?! Here’s what I’ve learned and hopefully if you’re like me (and you struggle with deciding not to finish a book) it’ll be helpful. For a few years now, the first thing I’ve done is give myself permission to stop reading. Because I put expectations on myself, I have to be the one to adjust them. I decided that it was a bit much to read something I didn’t like when there were so many other books to read, so I gave myself the permission I needed to change. It is hard, but necessary, and by far the most helpful thing I’ve done to adjust my mindset! I also evaluate the books I read as I read them. Is the book engaging me? Do I find myself yearning to know the characters more or find out what happens next? If that’s missing, maybe skip it! Perhaps there’s something off-putting about the plot, characters, or style. I’ve read books where a character is disingenuous, misogynistic or narcissistic. When this happens, I can’t relate to him/her or it makes the story hard to buy. If a plot is so off balance and I can’t swallow it, how am I supposed to be an engaged, excited reader? Again, sometimes you can move past this, but not always. Finally, if a book is triggering, I will stop immediately. When I’m triggered, I become irritable, anxious, depressed and feel ‘off.’ It’s not work sacrificing my mental well-being just to finish a book!

For me, this is something I’ve always had a hard time doing and have to continue to really work at. If I’m not feeling the book for whatever reason, I’ll sit down and think through all of the above and then make my decision. The best part is afterwards – when I decide to stop reading, I feel light, optimistic and excited to start my next read!

You might be wondering about the photo I chose! This was a few weeks ago when I was reading in bed before falling asleep. My cat, Penny, is always competing with books for attention and this was her saying, “excuse me, but I need you to focus on me now!” I gave her some scratches (how could I not), but her face is priceless! When I look at that picture now now, it’s as if Penny’s saying, “Put The Book Away!”

Summing it up: give yourself permission to stop reading a book that’s not working for you (yes, I’m saying this to myself too) and work on finding the balance of reading what you love and enjoy, sans the pressure! Anyone else have good tips for quitting a book? I’d love to hear them in the comments!

Best, Abbey

 

Ways to Get Out of a Book Funk

Ways to Get Out of a Book Funk ~ March 27, 2020

A little over a month ago I found myself in an awful book funk. January was a fantastic reading month, but then February plummeted. I think first-off that it’s important to acknowledge that being in a funk is ok! I have to remind myself of this because I am quite the overachiever. If I’m not engrossed in book after book, I feel deflated. The truth is, being in a book or reading funk is normal. We all go through them and usually more than once! Seriously, I’m learning to embrace them when they come and work through them, instead of being discouraged. My brain sometimes needs to switch gears and watch t.v., color, listen to music or podcasts, knit, or any other number of hobbies. And that is healthy!

During March, our world has been hit with the coronavirus and because of this, life has changed a lot for me. While I have been grappling with teaching my boys from home and being temporarily laid off, I have been looking for ways to get into reading again. I’ve actually found a nice handful and have been enjoying steadily reading, with a lot less pressure, as I enjoy a book or two at a time! I think changing my expectations has calmed me down and allowed me to enjoy.

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As much as I adore my cat, this picture actually represents my first way to get out of a funk – find a happy place to read! This is my spot. It’s right by our front window, where the sun streams in. It is cozy and gives me all the feels (and vitamin D)! When I put myself in a place that automatically gives me a good feel then it’s a bit easier to get into a book. Sometimes I’ll bring a couple books and just see what reading mood I’m in. Sunlight and coziness provide a great way to read!

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I have always found it easy to read more than one book at a time, so when I’m not enthralled in one particular book, I’ll pick a bunch I’m interested in and read a chapter each! I often have a lot of fun when I do this and get excited about a few books more so than others and can hone in on a few to get deeper into. However, sometimes I’m just excited about ALL of them! That is what this stack is. And it helped. Since I was interested in all of them, I just started reading from the top down. It was great . . . until the stack toppled over and I was like, “that’s it! I need to try something else.”

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The ‘something else’ I came up with was to read in COLOR! I started with pink because it is one of my favorite colors and I feel like it starts the rainbow. I think theme reading might be one of my newest ways of deciding what to read and getting out of a funk. In October I read fall themed books and in December I made sure to read books with ‘December’ in the title and find Christmas themed books. It was SO much fun! March is a bit quiet in New England, so going with color seemed a good way to go. Well, it has been the best! I love being surrounded by color and seeing such a pretty stack to work from. It’s still a big pile, so I have my fiance, Josh, pick a number and go with that corresponding book! Similarly, I have been known to put numbers in a hat and pick from them. Indecision is a huge problem for me because I want to read ALL the books!

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Of course, buying books can be a great way to get out of a funk! I love supporting my local indie bookstore, or traveling to used book stores, or shopping on Amazon, or buying used online at ThriftBooks. There are a lot of options! I buy a lot of books, though usually it’s one or two here and there and then sometimes it’s a whole bunch (like above). Sometimes the exciting new book is the best way to get reading again! The upside is that in a time like now, with staying at home and self-quarantine-ing, I have plenty of books that I’ve bought and now I can read them before buying more!

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Another great way is to return to an old favorite. This one does not typically work for me! This is mostly because there are too many books I haven’t read that are more alluring than the books I have read. However, I did read “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” to my boys, and it was truly delightful! I love returning to favorites with them.

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Finally, being surrounded by books is a fantastic way to keep reading and get out of a funk! For me, there is nothing like seeing books where ever I go. I love seeing their bright bindings and knowing all the adventures in store for me. It’s exciting and motivating (and admittedly, sometimes overwhelming). Overall, it is comforting and cozy and makes me feel at home. These are just a few of our many bookshelves and across from my favorite spot. When I’m cozy in the sun, I look at my bookshelves and all the possibility a new book (or old) has!

Summing it up: I’m learning to find balance. I don’t need to be engrossed in book after book to be having a “good” reading month and I don’t need to fear a “funk.” Instead, I can find creative ways to keep the books coming, while I enjoy the moment reading, and then taking breaks as needed! How have you dealt with reading funks? Leave some suggestions in the comments . . .I’d love to hear more ideas!

Best, Abbey

American Dirt

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American Dirt

by Jeanine Cummins

I have mixed feelings about this book and, unfortunately, that’s how this review is going to start. At first I was beside myself with excitement because “American Dirt” was the first book mail sent to me by a publisher! Thank you so much, Flatiron Books! The cover is absolutely stunning and there is so much hype around this new release (out Jan. 21st!). I reread the synopsis and was nervous to begin, but decided to dive in since I’d been sent the book for free. There were pros and cons, but overall the book left me lacking.

Lydia is a young Mexican woman who suffers an unspeakable tragedy and must leave everything she’s ever known behind and escape with her son, Luca, to ‘el norte.’ They are running from the cartel and face many set backs and hardships, including rape and death (though not to them), but ultimately do make it out of Mexico. They meet several other young people traveling north by train (jumping on a moving train!) who become like family to them. It seems that after the first tragedy in the book, nothing too horrible really happens to them, which is a little surprising, though nice. Even though it was challenging to keep reading due to the content, I got caught up in the writing – it was beautiful. However, the cons outweighed the pros for me.

After I closed this book, I had to read what other people were saying. There is so much hype around this book and the author talks about how even though she is not an immigrant herself, her husband is. “American Dirt” is being promoted hard as a book relevant for this time and very important. I got caught up in this and it wasn’t until reading more about this book that I discovered a few things. One, the author’s husband is not a Mexican immigrant, rather an Irish one, and the author has no personal connection to this type of plot. While I read the book, I really thought either she or someone she knows closely had experienced something similar to what she was writing about. Just because that isn’t the case, it doesn’t necessarily mean something negative, however, it was a bit deflating after all the commentary around this book.

Even now, after having sat on the book for a little while, I am left feeling like something was missing in this book and that I was lead to believe something shy of the truth. That being said, I think it’s fair to say that this book introduced me to a topic I haven’t read before, and for that I am very grateful. I jump at any opportunity I have to open my mind and engage in something new.

I also found a couple quotes I loved! The writing really was so beautiful.

“Now and again when a book moved her, when a book opened a previously undiscovered window in her mind and forever altered her perception of the world, she would add it to those secret ranks.”

“The worse will either happen or not happen, and there’s no worry that will make a difference in either direction.”

I don’t think I could recommend this book. It was disturbing at points, and even though it was good to read something very different from my norm, I struggled to finish it. Has anyone else read this book? What did you think?

Best, Abbey

The Perfect Stranger

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The Perfect Stranger

by Megan Miranda

The Perfect Stranger was the perfect thriller! (And, yes, I do crack myself up!) I read All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda two years ago and I really enjoyed it. One of my friends lent me The Perfect Stranger and I was perfectly delighted to read it! I tend to like to read all the books that an author has written if I like one of their books. So this was no exception. That being said, I’m never in a rush to read everything . . .I like to draw out the enjoyment . . .hence reading a second Megan Miranda book two years after the first!

This time around, it did take me a little while to get into the story. I think it was mainly due to having a lot going on with work/life/etc. I also wasn’t able to sit down and read chunks of it at a time, so it dragged a bit. However, once I got about half-way through, I decided enough was enough. I made a chunk of time and literally gobbled up the rest of the book . . .IT WAS SO GOOD.

There was the perfect mix of build up, questionable actions, creepiness and suspense! The main character, Leah, has run away from something in her past and followed her roommate to a rural town where she becomes a teacher. There, she tries to fit in and make a new life for herself. However, someone is stalking and threatening her and then her roommate disappears. It’s up to her and the police officer she *kind of* starts a fling with, to figure out what is really going on.

Note: I always post some spoilers . . .honestly, these are for me to remember what happens in the book! Do not feel the need to read them. Not only will they spoil the book . . .but sometimes they are a little disjointed! You will find them in just about every post of mine . . .so be aware!

Spoilers!! Leah’s roommate is playing her the whole time to steal her identity and give it to another friend. Ultimately, she kills the other friend and runs away from Leah (but does get caught in the end). Leah’s past: Leah was a journalist, who at one point lived with her best friend and her best friend’s boyfriend. Slowly, Leah thought she was going crazy as little things of hers go missing, she wakes up with no blankets, and hears things. She know’s it’s her friend’s boyfriend and one night she is proven correct. He drugs her and tries to drown her in the bathtub. He is ultimately unsuccessful, but after this (and her subsequent move out of the house), other girls in the area commit mysterious suicides. Leah knows it’s him and writes an article pointing to the truth. He commits suicide and Leah gets fired and disappears. Final spoiler: the boyfriend did not commit suicide, his wife (former girlfriend) kills him, making it look like a suicide. While she never resumes friendship with Leah, you are left knowing that she new about her husband’s atrocities and did something about it.

Summing it up: The Perfect Stranger was certainly a perfect thriller. I loved it and I hope if you choose to read it, you find it as perfect as I did! I highly recommend this one!

Best, Abbey